Oh my dears.. there is so so much to tell you. I fear that I have neglected you so. I’ve hoarded my words. I’ve stashed my thoughts away in a safe hidden place.

I don’t want to do that anymore.

At least… not the way I have been for months.

This is a forewarning to those who are faint of heart…

Things are about to get… very very real again on here. Real beyond love stories. Real and sometimes mundane.

I just want to tell these stories before they disappear.

Because unfortunately, my genetics are telling me that it may very well be my destiny.

Two sets of grandparents are currently undergoing this painful process that doctors call “The long goodbye.” My grandmother on my mother’s side is farther along. She is becoming a shell of the person she once was. She barely remembers my mother or my aunts and uncles. And, while she and I were never really close, nor me with my mother, I know that this is hurting the family around her who are close to her.

My grandfather on my dad’s side is also going through stages of Alzheimer’s. Ironically, he is one of those unforgettable people. He is the guy that is constantly making friends everywhere. Who is the reason I probably talk so much. Who… is one of my absolute favorite people (outside of my children) in the entire world (the other being his wife).

My heart is breaking as I am seeing one of the most wonderful and inspirational people- slowly but surely forgetting more and more of his life… of his memories… of the beauty that he helped to show the world… that he gave to me… that….

I don’t want the world to disappear without knowing my stories anymore.

Granted, I’m not going to tell you everything. If you want that, pick a lifecaster. There are some things beautiful about sharing every single detail about ones life, and there are things beautiful in not. I’m choosing a land of in between. And that’s… ok.

It is my hope that you find something in these posts to bring you back again and again. Perhaps it’s because of something inspiring. Perhaps it’s just something silly. Perhaps it’s comfort in mundane (oh how I wish some days to be more mundane). But, if nothing else, I want these stories out there. For the one day I can’t remember them. For the chance that someone will. Because words are the way a person never truly dies.

—-

But until then, here are a bunch of silly pictures of tombstones. Because there are enough posts coming up that you can be sad about and well, some of these images hopefully will help make you smile. Note: none of these images are mine so please don’t sue me folks.

Something very very dreadful happened on Mother’s Day 2006. Today is not a happy day. Today, rather, is a bit of a time out. Of more time reflecting and thinking…
Not to run from the past, but forging forward through the battleground with a harder heart and thicker skin. Tomorrow the sun will shine and I will still be a mother. Who needs a day to dictate this being a hard journey?
Oh you have no idea. No idea.

Last night I should have been at the W. Or I’d heard it was the W. I’d heard it was the Edison. I saw the tweets a couple hours after I’d gotten back from the bar. I’d gone to watch some good ole baseball at our regular spot in Culver with one of my guy friends. It had been a good night.

I was called about the project starting Monday. Finally.

Maybe if I had gone to the W it would have been a little less dramatic than it ended up being.

Maybe I’m due a trip to the ocean again. Maybe I’m just premenstral.

I had an argument about intimacy with the grip. He hadn’t seen my recent post and had no sleep due to short gaps in between work shifts. He worked 19 hours yesterday. I’d been stressed about things earlier. About him not sleeping here the other night.

I know that without the work it’s driven me a bit batty. I feel the weight of things much more. And him not being here while hinting at wanting to go serious.. I snapped. I was a pill to deal with. I was honest and brutal.

I was responding to emails when I saw my friend R online. We started talking a bit.

Jennifer

blah petty emotions

10:52pm R

hardly… you’re ripe, very ripe.

the question is, are you willing to let go to get what you want.

10:54pm R

cause if you are, then I can show you a few things.

It’s not often enough that I do a complete disconnect, but that conversation last night inspired me to remember to do it more. He asked me to shut down my computer and free myself of all distractions. I did, and I’m really thankful for it.

Sometimes you have to take the time out of your day, close your eyes and breathe. You have to remember that you don’t need anything. All you need, you already have.

The grip came over early this morning. He was exhausted. All we did was sleep. I disconnected again. I just existed. Miraculously, everything was alright. It really is going to be alright. I’m confident in that. I’m confident in me. I’m confident in him. I’m confident in where I’m headed. It’s going to be a long road but the best things come with a fight.

The grip told me it was alright for me to see other people still. I’ve gone on a few dates and made plans for more. None of them really did anything for me. I have a good time with them, but I couldn’t forsee going out all the time.

And then I met this boy.

A boy with a playlist.. ah how I’m a sucker for a man with a good playlist. Music is important to me. I constantly have to have it on or I feel something is amiss. I am learning how to function more in silence now. It’s an adjustment. Silence can truly be deafening.

Flashback: I went on this really horrible date once. One of the problems with online dating is that someone can seem somewhat sane, but when you get them in the real world, sometimes their brain ceases to function.

That evening was filled with the most horrific jokes and sexual advances that were met with raised eyebrows and rolled eyes. I was ready to go home. On the drive back, it was completely quiet. I asked him if he had anything we could listen to, rather than just flip through the radio stations. He names off cds. Metal. Metal. Country. Crap. Crap. No No No. I thought the drive was never going to end. Then he said… Depeche Mode. That night, it was literally my own Personal Jesus.

So back to present day.. another online encounter. He’s new to the area; moved from the bay area at the same time I moved here. He has family that lives in San Diego, so visits quite a bit. He’s spontaneous and intelligent. Free spirited and passionate about music. We click on many levels.

Last weekend messages were sent and time burned away. A friend of mine invited me out to an art show and this boy ended up meeting me there. From there we headed to a “found video” film festival sponsored by the Onion. I swear, the more alcohol consumed, the funnier it got. I mean, how else could you find Angela Landsbury nearly naked anywhere near acceptable?

We decided that another date would happen- which is going to be today. I asked him about his weekend plans and if he had any other dates going on. He told me that he did actually did have something Sunday, but would like to see me.

I’ve been looking forward to it. I am not sure why I would be jealous at all. I mean, I openly date multiple people, so why should I really care? Because I like the damn cake that’s why.

In our talking, we also discovered that we had a mutual friend. That friend wants us to date more… to even the point of exclusivity.

Now this brings into a whole other conundrum. I have not brought anyone I’m seeing to any events or done introductions with friends. I enjoy my time apart from my lovers. I’m able to focus more. I feel I get more things done.

There was a party yesterday for this friend. We were both invited to go. We were both intending to go before we even knew about eachother.

I’d made plans to go to this gaming party my friend was hosting a week or so ago- not catching immediately I had already made these plans to see this other friend that I’ve known longer. I invited the grip to the first party. I had intended on introducing him to my main group of friends. It was something that had been talked about for a few weeks now.

Yesterday I flaked out of the second party. I feel bad letting the friend down but by the time I got to the first party with the grip, it was late. The line inside was horrendous. When we finally got through the crowds and upstairs to stand in yet another long line it was already 11. I didn’t want to be rude and get to the other friends party, nor did I want any problems with potentially going on two dates on the same night right next to eachother.

The friends parties were both a success. I wish that I could have carbon copied me and attended both of them.

Today is another day of E for All.. another one I have been so busy that I will not be able to attend. I’m getting dressed and deciding what to do for tonight’s adventure. This week is busy as well.. possible trips out of town, and the waiting game continues. One week and I’ll be a 9-5’er. Imagine that.

Not being able to jump when walking. Yes, I have ADD and need something to occupy my time as I walk around into battles. Otherwise it’s not cost effective of my time (need mountain dew) and will get bored easier.

Tutorials:

subset

You jacknife me into the first battles of a game without having a clue how to use the combat system. Granted, I play quite a lot of RPGs, but if I didn’t, I may be even more annoyed by this.

If you give me a game over without a tutorial, you are aggravating me that much more. What a ridiculous intro. It’s like saying “Hey welcome to the game-I’m not going to give you a heads up on anything, so you can now feel free to die repeatedly while you attempt to figure it out. Isn’t that fun?” Um.. no it’s not.

Babying too much in a tutorial. Alright, so some combat systems really don’t need that intense of a tutorial if at all. But if you baby me too much, I’m just as likely to get bored easily. See point 1

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to more important things.. like making my own erm.. looking at porn again.